MoMu Award goes to… Mariel Manuel!

Each year the Fashion Museum of Antwerp presents a MoMu Award to an MA student at the fashion department of the Royal Academy in Antwerp. This award, to be presented during the jury proclamation in June, gives a single student the opportunity to present his or her collection in an exhibition at the MoMu Gallery. The MoMu Award is for a student whose course of study at the Royal Academy has been exceptionally motivating and whose work stands out in unique visual language. The recipient of the 2010 MoMu Award is Mariel Manuel. She presents her graduate collection Keep your eye on the doughnut as well as her 3rd year collection What happens in the Grotto, stays in the Grotto…

Mariel Manuel: From treetops to the bottom of the ocean, Keep your Eye on the Doughnut takes you into a world of mystery and imagination. The two collections presented in this exhibition depict stories: ironic, humorous or romantic situations in which garments take life. Throughout my work, I like to create my own stories and work around memories and clichés of certain places, countries and atmospheres. The combination and play between a wide range of different fabrics such as fake fur, latex, colourful hand-designed prints, appliqué, embroidery, or layered seaweed clippings out of shiny silk and latex hold an important place in my work.

I present my world, one where over-tanned bodybuilders hang out with venuses and superheroes of the ocean, where blonde curls are bleached by chlorine and salty water and where seaweed floods the horizon. A mermaid’s plastic tan doesn’t fade.

Deep in the woods, trees have eyes and moonlight casts enchanted shadows. You wake up and find a bear is living in your fur coat. Claws and vertebrae start growing out of the garments and gloves. Men and women are in love, religiously hidden behind long lace veils. They declare their love by looking into each others’ eyes with deep laser-like looks. Welcome into my world!

MOMU AWARD 2010 Keep your eye on the doughnut – Mariel Manuel
From June 15th to August 8th at the MoMu Gallery From September 8th to September 26th at the MoMu Gallery
Free admission

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This blog features posts from the various departments at the MoMu Fashion Museum Antwerp who share their insights on the Museum's working, exhibitions and projects. We invite you to share your comments and questions.